As is well known, the human spine or spinal column is comprised of seven cervical vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae, and five lumbar vertebrae. The vertebrae are disposed in a stacked array and interposed between the same are fibrocartilages or discs. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves are also associated with the spinal column, and the nerves are sometimes adversely affected by means of the relative disposition of one or more vertebrae whereby severe pain results. For example, an accident, fall, uneven stress, tension, over-exertion, or the like, can cause a minor displacement or misalignment of one or more of the vertebrae which, in turn, can cause pressure to be exerted upon spinal nerve roots.
It has additionally been found that if the particular misaligned vertebrae is re-aligned in conjunction with the residual, properly aligned vertebrae, the pressure upon the spinal nerves is alleviated and, consequently, the pain suffered by the patient is relieved. The re-alignment of the misaligned vertebrae is normally accomplished as a result of pressure being applied to the particularly afflicted areas of the body and, in accordance with these principles, prior art therapeutic appliances have been developed in order to attempt to provide such counter-pressure to the affected body regions.
Prior art appliances of the aforenoted type are exemplified by those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,071,133 issued to M. E. Eisen and French Patent No. 1,461,408 issued to M. Gross. The appliances include an inflatable bladder which seeks to exert the aforenoted counter-pressure upon the afflicted body portions as a result of the inflated expansion thereof; however, it has been found that such devices do not and cannot exert the desired counter-pressure at the precise body location as required. This is particularly characteristic, for example, of appliances applied to the lumbar region of the body, or lower back, which, due to its peculiar curvature, usually does not receive adequate contact and pressurization from the appliance.
Still further, when such prior art appliances are normally employed, adequate contact and pressurization of the afflicted body region is attempted to be accomplished by means of increased tightening of the appliance about the wearer's body or increasing the degree of pressurization of the bladder. Such modes of practice may be non-therapeutic as other portions of the body are deleteriously affected. More particularly, as a result of the elastic properties of such bladder devices wherein the bladders have a high coefficient of stretchability, as the pressure within the bladders is increased, the contact area defined between the bladder and the body is increased and the cardio-vascular network of the body is severely constricted in a manner similar to that accomplished by means of a conventional blood pressure cuff. Prolonged usage of such appliances can therefore result in major complications, such as, for example, renal ischemia, muscle spasms, arteriosclerosis-related problems, and even gangrene.